Ann The Gran Community

How do you like the Magna-Hoop? Click on 'Reply' and tell me what you like about it, what you don't like about it, and why someone else should or shouldn't buy it.

I recently bought the Magna-Hoop and have fallen in love with it.  I started machine embroidery last October and have struggled with accuracy in my hooping.  I love to embroider things for my grandbabies and these smaller items have been a challenge for me.  Magna-Hoop has solved all of my problems with hooping and knowing where my designs are going to land.  I love Magna-Hoop so much I've also purchased the jumbo Magna-Hoop for quilting and monogramming towels.  I haven't tried it yet but I'm absolutely positive I'll love it too. 

I love the concept of the Magna-Hoop and have been tempted to purchase it.  My hesitation stems from my fear of all that computer (I have a Bro 4000D) being so close to all those magnets.  Has anyone had problems along these lines????

One of my sons and his wife bought the Magna Hoop for me (I have a Brother Inovis 1500.)  I was so very excited to recieve it!  Then it came and I went to use it right away.  Well, all I can say is that I don't have the heart to tell my son that I think it was a waste of money.  I have a project that I'm working on and if the Magna Hoop worked as they say it does, then this project would be so very much easier, but I can't get it to work.  I even called the company -twice- and they didn't have anything to tell me that I hadn't already tried.  When I hoop the fabric (and it hasn't mattered what fabric I use) I can never get it to remain stable and the magnets don't hold it tight enough.  What I get is puckery lettering or designs.  I'm very, very disappointed.  You are not supposed to have to use adhesive stabilizer, but that has been the only way I have been able to make it work, and it still puckers.  Thanks for letting me "vent." [:'(]

I had the same experience I am sorry to say.  I thought I was the only person out there that did not "love" it.  I tried to embroider on ribbons and they moved all over the place!  I sprayed the adhesive and stuck them to that and they embroidered fine like that....without the magna-hoop.  Since it did not work on that, I figured that it would not work on other things that well either.  I boxed it back up and returned it the next day.  I was very disappointed because I had waited to have a reason to spend that much money on a gadget.  I did have to pay a 15% restocking fee, but at least I was able to get the rest of my money back.

I've purchased the Magna Hoop and Jumbo Magna Hoop recently and I think they're great.  They've saved me from stress factors when hooping certain projects.  The only problem I've encountered is to make sure I watch the magnets when I'm going to replace the bobbin thread.  When the unit moves to the position to remove the hoop, it will sometimes catch the magnet - lesson learned - so I watch it closely.  As you'll see by my post in Catalog Xpress site, I'm new to ME, but having a great time!!! 

Ok, would you help me then and tell me how you got the fabric to be held tight enough to not pucker when stitched upon when in the Magna Hoop?  I just can't seem to get it to work without using spray adhesive!  

I am so glad for the Magna Hoop I like it very much an it is so easy to use but i am sorry that we not can buy it in sweden.

I too was not happy with a Magna hoop, and have ended up with just the sticky on the back.  In fact a friend advised me to use the hoop basting and that works much better than anything but I still add a dab of sticky to hold it in place while it stitches around.

I could not get my machine to use the ribbon or any of the side holes.  I think that is me though that doesn't know how.  I bought the software, thinking that it would help.  I can make the software work and lay in the patterns in the correct holes but cannot make it transfer to the sewing machine as programmed, when it transfers the pattern it  transfers the pattern from the side to the centre even though it has been programmed for the side.

The software came with almost no information, but was user friendly in everything BUT how to transfer the hoop information to the sewing machine.  The Magna hoop was quite user friendly but again, no hints on how to program your machine for those little side openings for ribbons and belts.  I have written to the manufacturer (software) but to date have heard nothing back from them.  I plan on going to my very helpful Bernina dealer to see if there is a way to make it stay on the side once programmed.

I didn't buy the hoop from Anne but did buy the software.  It may be that I am not aware of all the things my machine can do and how to do them.  For those of you that use the hoop and like it, the software looks as if it could be useful if you know how to transfer it correctly.

It's not that you don't know how to do it. You didn't mention which machine you have, but I have the Janome MC9700 and it does the same thing when transferring the designs.  If you look on their website in the FAQ section it will tell you that depending on your machine you may have to manually over ride the settings and manually move the design.  When I try to do that it automatically resized the design so it still doesn't fit. Their advertisements are very misleading to say the least.  Thier website is not easily accessible either.  The software is basically worhtless but can not be returned because it's been opened. I have even called the company and also posted on the Janome website about the auto resizing and there has been no solution. It has been a very expensive lesson for me.
The hoops are going on Ebay ASAP. 

Let me see if I can help to clarify some misconceptions about the Magna-Hoop Software.  The purpose of the Magna-Hoop software is to size designs appropriately for the designated hoop.  While it can position the design in the opening in the MHSW, once the design has been saved in the desired format the machine only recognizes the center of the design.  For the machine to recognize which opening of Magna-Hoop is on the machine, each manufacturer would have to add programming to their machines.  The MHSW cannot tell the machine to recognize a hoop that the machine doesn't know exists.  That is why the software is helpful; you know the design will fit in the opening.  The embroiderer must still locate the needle over the center of the design and trace. 

I hope this explanation helps to explain how the software can be helpful.

From the Designs FAQ on Magna-Hoop Software:

Q: I am using Magna-Hoop Software to save my properly sized designs and load them into my machine. Why doesn’t it center the design in the opening like it does on the screen?

A: Magna-Hoop Software is a sizing program that allows you to load designs and fit them to the openings in Magna-Hoop and Quick-Snap. One advantage of the software is that you know they are sized properly to fit the opening.

However, when the design is loaded into the embroidery machine, the machine has no way of identifying which hoop or opening you have selected; only that there is a design and a hoop. It will always default to the machine center, which is not necessarily the hoop or the opening center. In other words, different machines have different methods of deciding what hoop is on the machine, if it decides at all.

It is the user's responsibility to tell the machine where to stitch the design. You must relocate the design, which has been correctly sized, to the center of the opening where it is to be stitched. With some machines (including the Janome MB4) this may also involve overriding the hoop designation assigned by the machine based on the design size.

ALWAYS trace the design to make sure the needle will clear the frame.

Note- the software has a print feature which allows for the printing of placement templates. Select the option to print the Magna-Frame and an outline of the frame will print with the design. Use it to help locate your needle to the center of the design.

I hope this helps to clarify the software's capabilities.

I got the Magna Hoop for a Singer Futura. I like it for what I'm using it for, but can see where it isn't the best for many applications. The metal frame DOESN"T fit well within the hoop, so the stabilizer really has to hold the metal plate in place. For any thin material there is too much shifting for it to be an asset.

What I am REALLY disappointed in is the software that I paid an extra $50 for. After watching the u-tube instruction application, I was fairly impressed. It has already been addressed here, but the ONLY thing the software does is resize and recalibrate the stitches. If you are at the point of buying a Magna Hoop, you most likely already have a program that does that for you.

When you open the saved design in your machine's software it is centered so you have to move it again. If my machine has a feature (I'm sure it does) to go to the center of a design, I don't know how to use it without the needle going into the fabric, same with trace feature. To avoid breaking needles or damaging the acrylic templates, I have to remove the needle to get it centered in to template. A pain and complete waste of time. Save your money.

I had the same problem with the Jumbo hoop in that the metal frame did not fit tight and shifted.  I solved the problem by taping the frame to the inter-hoop.

Complaints to the mfg resulted in a patronizing answer, to which I have decided.....no more DIME products for me.  

I don't know why you would have to re-center a design, unless you are using a large hoop and want to change the center position of a smaller design.

To test the parameters of the design, position the magnets where the trace feature of the machine will stop/pause (each corner).  If the foot does not hit a magnet, you are safe.

You should be able to move the design to the left or right, top or bottom to change the center of the hoop a stitch at a time.

Jog the trace function each time you make a change to insure the foot will not hit the frame or magnets. 

You should be able to trace with the needle up.

Unless it is lettering, I seldom use the template and just make a cross-hair (+) with an air soluble fabric pen.

Pattiann

Hi, I have a Singer Futura CE 100.  I would like to know how do you move your needle to the target position without advancing the stitches in your design.  I have called support and no one can help me.  Thanks

When using the Magna Hoop, before you begin stitching the design, you should jog the outline - this is called different things, depending on the brand of EM.

There should also be a feature for adjusting center.

Refer to the instruction manual for the EM.

Neither function impacts the stitching.

That's about all I can think of in answer to you question.

I embroidered a turtle design on a towel following Magna Hoop directions. The disign went on with the outline,the last color, off from the rest of the design. Looks odd. I have done many towels using sticky stablizers with no problems. Maybe I did something wrong I don't know. Helen

I prefer to use Magna Hoops for almost every stitch out. 

If the turtle design has always sewn out well for you, then it's probably your hooping, stabilizer or possibly not having the hoop locked into position.  I hoop tear away - position towel under plastic frame - then place a layer of WSS on top to hold down the towel's nap.

If it's a new design, try stitching with normal hooping on cotton fabric to see if you get good registration.  An outline can be off due to design compensation issues.  If you do get good registration, the design is not the problem.

Make sure to support your towel (I drape over a chair back) to avoid any pull due to fabric weight.

What do I like?  ALMOST EVERYTHING! 

Easy hooping, just hoop stabilizer, center and smooth your item flat, and then cover with the plastic frame and magnets.  No adheasive spray is necessary, no puckering problems, and save on stabilizer use. The magnets hold well through multiple frame removals for applique.

Negative - need to perform a design trace to verify that the design's stitching is within the (smaller) plastic frame opening. Need to "rock" the magnets to remove because they hold tightly.

I ordered the Magna Hoop Jumbo for my Babylock Ellageo Plus (only a couple of months old!!!!!) a while back but only got around to using it today (after watching the video on how to use it).  What a NIGHTMARE!. I can only hope that I haven't damaged my very expensive Babylock Ellageo Plus machine.  1st of all, they don't tell you that the Magna-hoop jumbo (for the 160x260 hoop) can't actually be used to its full size on a  border to border design.  I was using a basting design to sew around the edges of the hoop and my machine attempted to sew on top of the metal template.  Pretty scary!! Didn't the video say its for a 160x260 hoop?????? Then, after this happened, my machine started making a loud banging noise while the magna-hoop was attached.  I turned the machine off, re-started it, and the banging continued (no, before you ask, there was nothing in the way of the hoop).  I immediately disassembled it and embroidered without the magna hoop with no problems.  I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.  And of course, they have a no return policy after only a few days.  Imagine that!! I would certainly be interested to see if someone gets back to me on this....  One more thing...the CD they sent with the hoop is a PC CD.  I have a Mac.  Most of the information is not readable to me.